Children receive summer reading rewards

July 18, 2012

Morning News- Jen Andrus
Librarian Brenda Wilcox watches as children bounce as part of the "No More Monkeys Jumping on the Bed" activity for the summer reading program at Blackfoot Public Library on Wednesday.

Amongst bouts of laughter and shouts of happy children Wednesday afternoon, Blackfoot librarian Lisa Harral explained just what all commotion about reading is about.
"It's our last adventure day for the summer reading program."
Brightly colored bounce houses lined the taped-off parking lot of the library for the "No More Monkeys Jumping on the Bed" activity.
The library has had just over 1,200 children sign up for the program that featured points and prizes for reading. This year's theme, "Dream Big" was part of a collaborative program through the Idaho Commission for Libraries.
Harral said, "We got the theme and had a vision in our head of what we wanted to turn it into."
With ideas of pillows, fluffy clouds and pajama parties in their minds, the library staff went to work to create reality from a dream.
"We had an after-hours pajama party. The library is usually a quiet place, so we had the kids be a little more irreverent." said Harral.
The staff had the children check out their own books, eat snacks and "make a mess." "They have had so much fun with it this year," said Harral.
The staff has given away thousands of prizes as part of the program and couldn't be prouder of those who have spent their summer exploring imaginative worlds through a good book. Next year's theme will be "Dig In" and already the Blackfoot library staff has ideas of construction hats and flashlights forming in their minds . The children have until the end of the month to finish gathering their reading points and collect prizes.